THE 3 MOST DANGEROUS
WORDS A PARENT CAN SAY IS
"NOT MY CHILD"
How to talk to your kids about the dangers of alcohol and drugs
njprevent.com
MIDDLE SCHOOL,
HIGH SCHOOL &
BEYOND
It's never too early and it's never too late to start the discussion.
As a parent, there are going to be times when you need help discussing issues both big
and small. That’s why we created this parent toolkit with facts, talking points, and helpful
tips on how to talk to your kids about the dangers of alcohol and drugs.
You are the most important person in your children's lives. The more you talk to them
about not using alcohol and other drugs, the more you can influence and encourage
them to make healthy choices that will help them succeed in life.
Early, ongoing, honest conversations and close supervision are the best ways that
parents can help to prevent their child from using drugs or alcohol or developing an
addiction later in life.
Kids whose parents talk to them about
not using alcohol, marijuana, and
other drugs are up to 50% less likely
to use than those who don’t. 1
1.
Alcohol is the most used substance by teens in Hunterdon
County. Most teens obtain alcohol by taking it from the home.
THE TOP 5 THINGS YOU NEED
TO KNOW AS A PARENT
2.
6 out of 10 prescription pills
purchased online are made with a
lethal dose of fentanyl.
Fake Adderall
Real Adderall
Real Xanax
Fake Xanax
99% of vapes contain nicotine, even ones marketed as
nicotine free. Nicotine is the most addictive of all drugs,
which makes vaping nicotine deceptively dangerous.
70% of teens state that they obtain addictive prescription pills
from family and friends, including from their home medicine
cabinets. Safely storing medications is the best way to prevent
misuse.
50 Woodstock Joints = 1 Marijuana Dab Today
Marijuana today is not the marijuana
of years past. THC levels have
skyrocketed resulting in dangerous
health consequences.
Scan to watch
In A Split Second
Beer, hard seltzers, and wine are not “safer” than hard liquor.
Anyone can develop a serious alcohol problem, even a
teenager.
Alcohol is a powerful drug that slows down the mind and body.
It impairs coordination, slows reaction time, and impairs vision,
clear thinking, and judgement.
Alcohol is the most widely used substance among America’s youth and
can cause enormous health and safety risks.
FACTS ABOUT ALCOHOL
ALCOHOL IS STILL A DRUG
HOSTING UNDERAGE DRINKING
Allowing persons under 21 years of age to consume alcohol
on your property (except your own child) in New Jersey could
result in fines of up to $1000 and 180 days in jail per person
served.
If serving an underage person alcohol results in injury, the
adult found responsible may be charged with endangering the
welfare of a child, subject to a fine of up to $15,000 and 5
years in state prison.
New Jersey law imposes civil liability on social hosts who serve
alcohol to anyone under the legal drinking age of 21 who is
subsequently involved in an incident causing injury or death.
It is estimated that as many as 4,000 deaths occur
each year from alcohol poisoning. Many of them
are first-time drinkers who never had alcohol
before. Even if a person does not die, alcohol
overdose can lead to irreversible brain damage.
Alcohol affects a teen brain differently than a
mature brain since the brain goes through a rapid
development and “wiring” between 12 and 21.
Research shows that people who start
drinking before the age of 15 are at a
higher risk for developing Alcohol Use
Disorder (AUD) later in life.
THE EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN
15 year old
heavy drinker
15 year old
non-drinker
These images show that a heavy drinker doesn't
activate the same brain areas as a non-drinker
normally does for memory and learning.
Image from Susan Taper, PhD, University of California, San Diego
NJ Rev Stat § 2C:24-44
3.
They are non-FDA regulated
flavored aerosols.
Each time a new memory is
created or a new skill is learned,
stronger connections – or
synapses – are built between
brain cells.
Nicotine changes the way
synapses are formed.
WHAT'S IN A VAPE?
NOT "JUST WATER VAPOR"
Diacetyl is the
chemical
associated with the
disease "popcorn
lung".
Addictive Drugs
such as Nicotine
and THC.
Heavy Metals such
as Lead and Nickel.
Formaldehyde
Nicotine is the most addictive of all drugs, which makes vaping nicotine
deceptively dangerous.
Nicotine harms the parts of the brain that control
attention, learning, mood, and impulse control.
99%
of all vape devices
contain nicotine, even
ones marketed as
"nicotine free".
69% of teens are
exposed to vape
advertising.
E-liquids are NOT
water vapor and flavoring.
A NEW GENERATION OF SMOKERS
HOW BAD IS VAPING FOR YOUR BODY?
Nicotine can harm
the developing brain.
The brain keeps
developing until
about age 25.
FACTS ABOUT VAPING
Making it harder to learn...
-New sports plays
-New sheet music
-Important test questions
or anything new!
4.
Vape devices come in many
shapes, sizes, colors and can even
look like pens, watches or every
day items.
Stay up to date on
vape devices and
tobacco trends by
visiting our website.
Marijuana use has been linked with
depression and anxiety, as well as
suicidal thoughts among teens.
Problems can include a chronic cough,
more frequent lung illness, and a higher
risk of lung infections.
When someone uses marijuana, the heart rate
may increase or even double. This increases
the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Modern cannabis plants contain higher amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive
compound in the plant that gives users the sensation of feeling "high".
The higher the THC content, the stronger the effects on your brain and behavior.
People who begin using marijuana before the
age of 18 are at increased risk of developing
Marijuana Use Disorder (the inability to stop
using marijuana even though it’s causing
health and/or social problems.)
Today, cannabis is much stronger than in past decades making it a whole
new drug with new concerns for youth.
FACTS ABOUT MARIJUANA
A NEW LEVEL OF THC
EFFECT ON THE BODY
DELTA-8 THC - "WEED LITE"
5.
Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as Delta-8 THC, is a psychoactive
substance typically manufactured from hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD).
Products can include candy, food, vapes, tinctures.
Delta-8 THC can be found being sold in convenience stores, gas stations,
vape shops, CBD shops and other locations. While it is illegal to purchase
unless you are 21 many of these products are easily accessible to kids.
Have you seen
signs like this
around the county?
Products that have been
extracted from the plant.
Includes products such as
dabs, wax & shatter.
Concentrates
55-95% THC
Vaping
Up to 95% THC
Smoking
15-20% THC
Edibles
Made with marijuana
leaves or high potency
cannabis extracts.
50-90% THC
Such as joints,
blunts and bongs.
This includes synthetic
marijuana. Using
vaporizing devices.
Non-opioid
Pain Relievers
OxyContin (Oxycodone)
Vicodin, Norco and Lortab (Hydrocodone with Acetaminophen)
Percocet (Oxycodone with Acetaminophen)
Tramadol
Codeine
Morphine
What are commonly prescribed opioids?
Nearly
of the reported
107,081 drug overdose
deaths in the U.S.
involved opioids in
2022.
Physical
Therapy
Acupuncture
Massage
Therapy
Nerve
Blocks
68%
What is an opioid?
Opioids, sometimes called narcotics, are medications prescribed by doctors to treat
persistent or severe pain. While they can effectively relieve pain, opioids carry some risks
and can be highly addictive.
Scan to watch
Pills to Heroin
Heat & Ice
Am I at risk of addiction?
Will something else work?
How long will I be taking them?
Are you prescribing the lowest possible dose?
What’s the plan to taper me off?
Questions to Ask the Doctor
Medicine misuse means taking a medication (either prescribed or over the counter) in a
manner or dose other than directed; taking someone else’s prescription, even if for a
legitimate medical complaint; or taking a medication to get high.
FACTS ABOUT MEDICATIONS
About 165 kids - or roughly four school
busloads of children - are seen in
emergency rooms for medication-related
treatment every day in the U.S.
MEDICATION MISUSE
THE DANGERS OF OPIOIDS
NON-OPIOID CHOICES
70%
of teens state that they
obtain addictive prescription
pills from family and friends,
including from their home
medicine cabinets.
10
11
6.
Scan to watch
Fentanyl Factor
Fentanyl is added to other drugs to
make them stronger.
Fentanyl can be found in cocaine,
heroin, methamphetamines,
molly/MDMA, and other drugs.
Fentanyl is an extremely powerful synthetic opioid.
Fentanyl is prescribed by doctors to treat pain, but not all
fentanyl comes from a pharmacy. Because it is so potent,
addictive, and cheap to make, illegal drug dealers often use
chemicals to mix their own fentanyl.
It only takes a very small dose
of fentanyl (2 milligrams), such
as the amount found on the tip
of a pencil, to be lethal.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seized over 379 million deadly
doses of fentanyl in 2022, enough doses of fentanyl to kill every American.
FACTS ABOUT FENTANYL
FAKE / COUNTERFEIT PILLS
Prescription pills purchased online are often fakes made with fentanyl.
Illegal drug dealers use pill presses to create fake/counterfeit pills that look like real medication. People
who want to experiment or self-medicate with prescription medication may buy a few pills and accidentally
consume fentanyl. Fentanyl has become so common that even a pill from a trusted friend may not be safe.
Fake Adderall
Real Adderall
Fake Oxycodone
Real Oxycodone
Real Xanax
Fake Xanax
WHAT IS FENTANYL?
50x
FENTANYL IS
MORE POTENT
THAN HEROIN
Why do criminal drug networks mix fentanyl into their drugs?
They want to make more money. Fentanyl is strong and cheap to manufacture, so they
mix it into other drugs to stretch their supply. This makes every dose a gamble,
because the people taking the drugs have no idea how much fentanyl they're getting.
If fentanyl is so dangerous, why would anybody take it?
People take drugs for all sorts of reasons. Kids may hear that a prescription pill could
help them focus or relax and want to try it, even if they don't normally use drugs. If they
buy the pill online, it’s likely a fake made with fentanyl.
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?
12
12
12
7.
Drug traffickers advertise on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram,
Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube.
Posts and stories are often accompanied by known code words and emojis that
are used to market and sell illicit and deadly drugs on social media.
Agents at the DEA have warned that drug traffickers are using social media to advertise drugs and
conduct sales. If you have a smartphone and a social media account, then a drug trafficker can find
you. This also means they are finding your kids who have social media accounts.
Advertise
Connect & Pay
Drug traffickers have turned smartphones into a one-stop shop to market, sell,
buy, and deliver deadly, fake prescription pills and other dangerous drugs.
SOCIAL MEDIA & DRUGS
ONE STOP SHOPPING
Prospective buyers contact drug traffickers on social media apps in response
to their advertisements – either using direct messaging (DM) or by
commenting on a post.
Once contact is made, drug traffickers and
potential buyers often move to an encrypted
communications app like WhatsApp, Signal,
and Telegram.
After a deal is made, drug traffickers request
payment using one-click apps like Venmo,
Zelle, Cash App, and Remitly.
12
8.